(4-Amino-2-phenylbenzoyl)methionine methyl ester hydrochloride (5.0 g, 12.7 mmol), prepared as in Example 192B, and 3-pyridinecarboxaldehyde (1.25 mL, 13.3 mmol) were dissolved in 100 mL 1% acetic acid in methanol. After 10 minutes, sodium cyanoborohydride (0.95 g, 15.9 mmol) was added. After stirring at room temperature 18 hours, the reaction mixture was evaporated and partitioned between 5% NaHCO3 and ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with 5% NaHCO3 and brine, dried over Na2SO4, and evaporated to provide [4-(3-pyridylmethylamino)-2-phenylbenzoyl]methionine methyl ester which was used without further purification. MS m/e 450 (M+H)+. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz) δ 1.65 (m, 2H), 1.87 (m, 2H), 2.00 (s, 3H), 3.63 (s, 4H), 4.42 (s, 2H), 4.61 (m, 1H), 5.69 (d, J=7 Hz, 1H), 6.50 (d, J=3 Hz, 1H), 6.63 (m, 1H), 7.45 (m, 6H), 7.68 (m, 2H), 8.55 (m, 1H), 8.62 (d, J=3 Hz, 1H).
